Governor Brown’s Massive Water Project
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Jerry Brown proposes a canal to divert Northern California water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and bring it to Southern California, again. Also tonight, there’s talk of a referendum to repeal this week’s ban on medical marijuana clinics by the LA City Council. Will the State Supreme make a decision before voters get to the polls? And later, is London really ready to light the torch?
Banter
Governor Brown’s Massive Water Project ()
In 1982, then-Governor Jerry Brown proposed a canal to divert Northern California water around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and bring it to Southern California—irrigating the nation’s bread-basket along the way. Voters turned it down, but Brown’s back again, backed by the Obama Administration with a new plan worth 24 billion dollars. Even some Democrats think it’s a bad idea, and there’s no guarantee it would work even if it could be paid for.
But with US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar at his side, Governor Brown today proposed a new version of the old idea. For 24 billion dollars, massive tunnels would take water from Northern California, pump it under the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, then use it to irrigate big farms in the Central Valley on its way to residential customers in Los Angeles and San Diego. Brown called it, “another test of whether we can govern ourselves…”
Guests:
- Bettina Boxall: Staff Writer, Los Angeles Times
- Jeffrey Kightlinger: General Manager, Metropolitan Water District
- Adam Scow: California Campaigns Director for Food and Water Watch
Reporter's Notebook
L.A. Medical Marijuana Ban Caps Years of Controversy ()
There’s talk of a referendum to repeal this week’s ban on medical marijuana clinics by the LA City Council. Will the State Supreme make a decision before voters get to the polls?
Guests:
- Rick Orlov: Los Angeles Daily News, @Rickorlov
Main Topic
The London Olympics Begin ()
The US women’s team has won its first soccer game, but the official opening of the London Olympic Games won’t be until Friday. The world is beginning to focus on London as the Torch has been carried through the streets of the city. Celebrities and politicians are turning up, including Mitt Romney, who caused a minor stir with these comments about security preparations. Romney backpedaled a bit later. He’s visiting London as part of his presidential campaign, and as the man who saved the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.
Guests:
- Adharanand Finn: Editor at The Guardian, Author of Running With the Kenyans, @adharanand
Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.
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